Tropical Banana Bread with Sugared Macadamia Crumble - a unique spin on a classic banana bread, sweet and moist with flavors from the islands and a sugary crunchy top.
Tomorrow is National Banana Bread Day.
Wait, back up a minute.
Why didn't anyone tell me today is National Margarita Day!?
I guess I can still celebrate that one. and I will.
Second only to pumpkin pie, banana bread is one of the first things I learned how to bake. I had a standard for years, a variation of recipes from my mom and my grandma. Then I learned how to bake gluten free and vegan, and methods changed again. Banana bread is always good.
Nowadays I like to make it fun, get creative, add ingredients to make it different. Since I am spending so much time with him lately, this one is for my dad. and tomorrow I am actually bringing it to him, we will enjoy it for breakfast!
My dad is from Hawaii, so the recipe I made for him is tropical - sweetened with chunks of mango and shredded coconut, with a crunch of sugared macadamia crumble on top. This is divine.
Tropical Banana Bread with Sugared Macadamia Crumble
dairy, egg, soy and gluten free, vegan
makes one loaf
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons flax seed, ground
⅓ cup water
½ cup coconut milk
1 ½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
½ cup butter (Earth Balance soy free)
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup maple syrup
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup gluten free all purpose flour
1 cup brown rice flour (or use more AP)
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch sea salt
1 mango, peeled and cubed (about 1 cup)
½ cup shredded coconut
sugared macadamia topping (recipe follows)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Combine flax and water, set in refrigerator to thicken. Combine coconut milk and apple cider vinegar, set aside. Cream together butter, sugar and maple syrup. Add bananas, add milk and flax mixtures, combine. Add flours, do not stir - add baking soda and salt, mixing into flour then mixing together with wet ingredients, until just combined. Stir in mango cubes and shredded coconut, pour batter into prepared loaf pan (sprayed and or lined with parchment). Top with sugared macadamia topping.
Bake at 350 for 60-70 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes clean.
Sugared Macadamia Crumble
INGREDIENTS:
¾ cup macadamia nuts
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cold butter (Earth Balance soy free)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Using a food processor or knife, finely chop macadamia nuts. Combine brown sugar and macadamia pieces, cut in cold butter until crumbly texture forms. Sprinkle in an even layer over banana bread before baking.
Happy National Banana Bread Day!
printable Tropical Banana Bread with Sugared Macadamia Crumble recipes:Â
dairy, egg, soy and gluten free, vegan
[b]Tropical Banana Bread with Sugared Macadamia Crumble[/b]
Ingredients
Instructions
[b]Sugared Macadamia Crumble[/b]
Ingredients
Instructions
Tiff says
I just found out today that I missed national margarita day earlier this week. Yes, I too was pretty bummed about this!
spabettie says
pretty sure you should make up for it tonight or this weekend - you know, same week, still works. 😉
Tommy says
DANG girl, this is fabulous! You have done it again.
spabettie says
oh Tommy you always make me smile 😀
cassandre says
i never knew there was a national banana bread day... yummmy.. looks so delicious and has all my favorite food items.
Kath (My Funny Little Life) says
I've never baked a banana bread. I don't eat bread, and I'm not very fond of bananas. [insert shock reaction]
On other blogs, I would comment a post that features something I wouldn't eat. On your blog, I can do that, because I don't have to be afraid I could come across rude. Because you know it's not a sign of disrespect but I'm simply stating that I don't like bananas very much. (I really don't, never did.) In a funny way, it's a sign of trust and friendship that I can leave such a comment here without feeling bad. 🙂
spabettie says
aw, Kath, I LOVE that you said this!! yes, it is so true, you can say anything here. you know I am not easily offended anyway, but because we are friends, that level of communication is even more real - we say what we want without pretense.
but... WHAT???!?! you don't like banana?? oh my... 😉
Kath (My Funny Little Life) says
I know! 😯 As you now know, I also don't like dates. And quinoa (you knew that already). And peanut butter. And tofu. And salmon (actually, I really don't). And chcolate. And coconut (just my coconut oil but I can't taste it in the food :D). And figs. And pineapple. And melon. And millet. And cheese (I *hate* cheese). And olives or anything made from or with olives, including olive oil. And bacon (eww). And eggplant. And hazelnuts. And raisins. And sweet potatoes (gasp). And corn. And kidney beans. I could go on. 😀
spabettie says
have you tried again with the quinoa...? 🙂 I know you bought some, right? well, we are definitely friends IN SPITE of food - I like just about everything on this list. except for melon, not so much. oh and bacon. but everything else. 😉
Kath (My Funny Little Life) says
I did, twice, and then I gave the bag to a friend. 😀 She loves the stuff.
Feel free to take my lifetime share in those foods. I won't need it. I'll take your lifetime share in chicken instead, and everything is fine. 🙂
spabettie says
that sounds like a perfect plan 🙂
Kath (My Funny Little Life) says
I actually think we can be even better friends *because of* food. We'll never have food envy! And there's still some intersection of things we both like, in case we want to share a meal. 🙂
spabettie says
good point - and OF COURSE we would definitely be able to share a meal... and we WILL 😀
Ash says
I made this today, but for lack of a few ingredients I used pineapple instead of mango, and cashews instead of macadamia nuts. So delicious!
spabettie says
I have made the crumble with cashews before - just as good! and I thought of adding pineapple - I'm definitely going to make that sometime! glad you liked it, Ash!
Rachael says
oh my goodness... i LOVE banana bread. gotta try this!
spabettie says
I hope you do, Rachael 🙂
natalie (the sweets life) says
you had me at SUGARED MACADAMIA CRUMBLE! practically drooling over here---tropical banana bread sounds amazing!
spabettie says
thanks, Natalie! yep, the crumble just puts this over the top... YUM!
Genevieve says
I love tropical flavors in baked good and I couldn't come up with a better combination than bananas, mango, coconut and macadamia nuts! Looks amazing!
spabettie says
thanks, Genevieve - I'm trying pineapple sometime, too - probably even more flavorful and tropical!
Allie says
This makes me happy. Very happy. My best friend makes the most amazing banana bread, and she was just asking what I wanted her to make for dinner--question answered. I may even request some added coconut--sounds divine. And yup, clearly just defined banana bread as "dinner."
spabettie says
well, YES, banana bread could absolutely be dinner. (banana bread french toast!?!!?) 😀
Allie says
So, we did end up making banana bread muffins for dinner last night! Complete with chocolate chips AND coconut (thanks for the inspiration!). So delicious! I'll have to give the french toast option a go next time...
spabettie says
YUM - I love chocolate in banana bread. and peanut butter. perhaps I need to make another loaf, then make french toast... happy weekend Allie!
Heidi @ Food Doodles says
Yum! I'm literally drooling over that macadamia nut topping. Awesome idea! Love the mango and coconut in the bread too though 😀
spabettie says
I've had this idea in my head for a while, having spent a good amount of time in Hawaii. I am pretty happy with the result - and yes, the crumble really adds so much! glad you like, Heidi!